Loom Beading

[boman19]

I just got a heddle loom and i was wandering how much luck any of ya'll have had with beading side tabs, aprons, belts, knee bands, and cuffs?

[spottedeagle]

Beadman and I both do loom work. We both have made belts and other items on the loom. Beadman is way more experienced than I am though. He's a regular beading machine on the loom. If you look in the gallery he has plenty of examples of his loom work belts, harnesses etc. I have a couple belts I have done in my gallery as well.

If you need any help, check out the loom work intro. Or you can pm one of us

[BeadMan]

Personally I don't care much for heddles. I know some people swear that it goes faster, but I haven't found a heddle worker who can even come close to finishing a belt as fast as me. If I'm in a good mood I can pop one out in a day or two. But I encourge you to try it out for yourself, maybe that's the right technique for you.

SpottedEagle is right, I have lots of photos in the galleries section, mostly belts and some tabs and garters. Please post some pics when you get something finished. We like pics:D

[boman19]

When I get my belt and tabs done I'll post them for ya'll to see I hope they look good.

[Blackbear]

Originally posted by BeadMan
Personally I don't care much for heddles. I know some people swear that it goes faster, but I haven't found a heddle worker who can even come close to finishing a belt as fast as me. If I'm in a good mood I can pop one out in a day or two.

Braggart!! ROFLMAO;)

[boman19]

Hey Beadman what place did you take at NOAC with your bead work? When was that taken? Its good work.

[BeadMan]

No places given at NOAC, just an overall rating and judge's choice awards. I don't remember, but I'm sure I got the highest rating and I do remember getting 2 of the 6 judge's choice ribbons. That was back in 1998. Ever since I've been a judge myself.

BTW, I've heard you Houston boys are something else. Been a while since I've been down that way. Maybe this spring I'll be in the area.

[boman19]

That'll be awsome. Maybe if your in our neck of the woods around march 19-21 you can go to section conclave at the new scout ranch called Bovay (or something like that). I'll be at NOAC this summer so maybe i'll run into you. IF your in the area this spring give me an email or pm me. If you want to know whats going on here just go to www.ani-lati.org and click on events.

[boman19]

its been awhile since ive been here to update how im doing on my bead work. I finished my belt, arm bands, and knee drop on the look and they turned out great. I think im going to stick with lazy stich it goes alot it takes alot less time to get set up. But I went to NOAC and entered the craft contest, and I took second place over a guy that did flint work. I got judes picks so im happy! And when i danced the next day the head judge and a few others came up to me and said they loved my bead work. and I got top ten in dance so over all the work was well worth it although im still working on my side tabs havent had the time or havent been in the mood.

[wyo_rose]

Can someone explain the difference between a heddle loom as opposed to a "loom".

[BeadMan]

A heddle is a device used to alternate warp threads on a loom. For beadwork, there is an upper and lower set of warp threads. A row of beadwork is laid between the two and the heddle is switched (the upper threads brought down and the lower threads brought up) This creates a new "shed" in which the next row of beads is set into, then the heddle switched again and so on.

Some claim it to be faster because you don't have to go back through the beads with your needle. It does take a while to get the beads into the exact spot in order to switch the heddle. It also takes an incredible amount of time and effort to set up the threads for a heddle loom.

Here is a picture that I hope helps to explain how a heddle works.

[Sparklebeadz]

Wow that looks like an interesting loom! I bet that would be fun to work on.